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With its tenth birthday rapidly approaching, the R35 GT-R is virtually a pensioner in automotive terms. Nissan's super-coupé isn't ready for retirement just yet, though.
That's purely down to the lasting credibility of the original design, which combines menacing physical presence, geek-pleasing technology and – of course – extreme all-wheel drive performance.

However, to some eyes a price tag of nearly £80k is the most outrageous aspect. Yes, a similar amount could buy ten Micra city cars, but such mathematics completely miss the point. The usual Nissan cost-versus-value equation needs completely recalibrating when considering a GT-R.

Continuous development has been vital in keeping the GT-R relevant, plus it helps to justify the substantial outlay needed to acquire one. Unsurprisingly then, more changes are coming for the 2017 model year.

Only aficionados will be able to spot all of the exterior modifications. For casual observers, they include a restyled front bumper and grille, a reprofiled bonnet, extended side sills and some rear-end tweaks.

Inside, the highlight is a new dashboard with a larger 8” touchscreen and fewer buttons than before. As a result, the cabin gains a noticeably more modern ambiance.

Without any official benchmark figures (or indeed the ubiquitous Nürburgring Nordschleife lap time), gauging whether or not the 2017 model is appreciably quicker remains impossible. Nevertheless, Nissan is promising better mid- and top-range acceleration, as well as smoother changes from the six-speed dual-clutch transmission.

In fact, enhanced refinement is being pushed as a major selling point. Sure, a stiffer bodyshell and various suspension revisions yield superior dynamics versus the previous version, but thanks to a suppler ride and less noise this GT-R is also reckoned to be the most comfortable ever.

That subtle shift in emphasis is valid because many GT-R drivers will spend most of their time cruising along humdrum speed camera-infested roads, rather than charging around a circuit. Even so, Nissan needs to carefully avoid diluting the car's intense character.

In Europe, orders for the 2017 GT-R will be accepted from next month. Deliveries are due to begin in the autumn.